Amy Mulroy
Theatre Designer
Puppetry
My first project whilst studying at Nottingham Trent University began at the start of our first term in year one. For this project we worked in groups to make our own puppets which we then had to develop a story for. Three group members also had to control the puppet whilst the rest controlled lighting aspects. I controlled the projection aspect of the lighting where we used a stained glass window cut out and a sun cut out to represent the sun rising up on the puppet.
costuME: The canterbury tales
The second project I had in my first year was to design costumes for six characters from the 14th century book The Canterbury Tales. Throughout the project I developed a range of ideas for each costume aided by research on the period specific clothing, stain glass windows and the history on the western society. I chose two mythical characters which I could use my imagination to design. I created six final designs, one for each character and six 1:25 scale models with the same costume designs on them.
![IMG_9796[1].JPG](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/2651bd_d29d9ca156214b708ba0636a843193ae~mv2.jpg/v1/crop/x_303,y_525,w_3395,h_2165/fill/w_275,h_162,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/IMG_9796%5B1%5D_JPG.jpg)
SET Design: The seven acts of mercy
I began my second term with Project 3, a speculative design for the play The Seven Acts of Mercy. The play focuses on the artist Caravaggio in Naples, 1606, and a modern-day grandfather and his grandson, Leon and Mickey, in the small town of Bootle. For this project we designed a set for the Waverly theatre which would fit both timelines. Alongside this we made 1:25 model boxes. I used photoshop to enhance my model by adding lighting, projection and actors.
Set design/ scenic painting:construct THE MOMENT
This project began on University campus where we spent the first three weeks working in groups, researching, model making and developing technical drawings for a 2m by 2m set in the Waverly Theatre. In my group I was one of two model makers. We used aspects of multiple group members speculative designs to develop our final design, the main aspects being the corner of a church, surrounded by derelict brick walls either side and derelict pillars as a walk way to the church. I offered to make the pillars, made up of layers of foamboard and mountboard.
The week we were set to start making our 2m by 2m sets the University closed due to COVID-19 and therefore we were assigned another major project to do at home, paint a 1m by 80cm canvas. I chose a portrait of the Virgin Mary.
set and costume design:hamlet
Our final project of our first year has been an at home project due to COVID-19. We had to develop set and costume designs for a production of Hamlet at the Nottingham Playhouse. Including a model box at 1:50 scale, a storyboard, costume designs for 8 characters, technical drawings and sketchbook pages showing the development of our work. I decided in my interpretation of Hamlet, I would like to create a concept around the theme of deterioration of all the characters mental health, specifically Hamlet’s, which leads to many of their eventual deaths. I would like to incorporate this into all the aspects of set, changing the physical appearance of set pieces from modern, well kept aspects of furniture or the household into run down, neglected spaces.
